technology

Thrillist’s Ben Lerer

Since co-founding the men’s lifestyle brand Thrillist in 2005, Ben Lerer has had a front-row seat to the changing media landscape. The son of venture capitalist Kenneth Lerer, who helped seed the likes of The Huffington Post and Buzzfeed, Lerer has watched as Thrillist grew from a men’s newsletter he started in college into a national media brand, which also includes the online shopping brand JackThreads. In June, the 31-year-old C.E.O. of the New York–based company now known as Thrillist Media Group was named an entrepreneur of the year at Ernst & Young’s annual business showcase. We spoke to Lerer, who is also a managing partner with Lerer ventures, about his iPhone 5.

Last text: Social media brand consultant and entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk.

“Gary told me that I was stupid for not coming to Cannes. And I told him that he was ugly, and I didn’t want to be his friend anymore.”

Courtesy of Ben Lerer.

Most-used app: Twitter, Instagram.

“With the obvious exception of mail and messages, I use Twitter and Instagram each 10 to 20 times a day. I use Twitter to consume news, and I use Instagram to see what my friends are up to.”

Last app used: NowThisNews.

“It’s a Lerer Ventures portfolio company that several of my friends are working at, and I’m really enjoying seeing the quality and breadth of content they’re creating improve in real time.”

Currently obsessed with: Songza.

“It’s replaced almost all other music apps entirely for me.”

Last download: AR.Drone.

“[I use it] to control my Parrot Drone. I like it aside from the fact that the first time I used it, my Drone went rogue and flew so far into the distance that I never saw it again. The Drone requires that you download the app.”

Most surprising app on my home screen: Equinox app.

“I use it instead of a membership card at the gym.”

Guiltiest pleasure: Snapchat.

“I use Snapchat to see what random naked exposed body parts of my friends are up to.”

Clean inbox? Yes.

“My inbox is completely clean at almost all times, aside from e-mails that require action that I have yet to take.”

Text or call? Text.

“I prefer to text because I hate to hear the horrible sound of another human speaking. I placed six calls today.”

Remaining battery: 37 percent.

“I have to recharge two or three times a day because my battery doesn’t hold its charge anymore. My phone used to die all the time, but now I carry an extra charge on me when I know I’m going to be out of the office for an extended period of time.”